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UK Sovereign Ai

Defence Holdings PLC Names Hyperscale Provider for Project Ixian

Defence Holdings PLC has launched Project Ixian, its first sovereign AI product, in partnership with Google Cloud and Whitespace.
 |  Ai Defence Intelligence  |  Breaking

The initiative is designed to enhance the UK's information integrity and resilience against information warfare, directly addressing strategic national security concerns. The project will be built on Google Distributed Cloud's air-gapped platform, ensuring the highest levels of data residency and security by operating completely disconnected from the internet. Co-development with UK SME Whitespace embeds sovereign standards from the outset. Project Ixian represents the first product in a planned pipeline from Defence Holdings and is explicitly aligned with the critical focus areas of the UK’s Strategic Defence Review 2025 (SDR25), targeting threats such as disinformation and narrative manipulation.

1. Project Overview

Project Ixian is the inaugural sovereign AI product from Defence Holdings PLC, developed under its Defence Technologies division. The project's central mission is to counter threats related to information warfare by enhancing information integrity and resilience.

Primary Focus: Combating disinformation, digital vulnerabilities, and narrative manipulation by malicious actors.

Strategic Importance: It is the first in a multi-product pipeline that Defence Holdings intends to bring from concept to operational use over the next 18 months.

Development Philosophy: The project is described as "sovereign by design" and "scalable from inception," with development being deeply informed by Defence end-users.

2. Key Partners and Roles

The initiative is a collaboration between three key entities, each bringing a specific expertise to the project.

Partner

Ticker/Type

Role & Contribution

Defence Holdings PLC

LSE: ALRT

The project lead and a UK-listed, software-led defence company. Aims to become a leading force in software-first defence solutions under its five-year strategic plan announced in June 2025.

Google Cloud

Hyperscale Provider

Selected to provide the core infrastructure, specifically the Google Distributed Cloud air-gapped platform. This aligns with existing UK Government technology investments.

Whitespace

Sovereign UK SME

A co-development partner headquartered in Belfast, specializing in Defence and National Security AI solutions. Responsible for embedding sovereign standards, resilience, and scalability from the project's inception.

3. Technological Foundation

Project Ixian is being built on a specific and highly secure technology stack designed for sensitive government and defence applications.

Core Platform: The project is being built natively on Google Distributed Cloud air gapped.

Key Platform Features:

Air-Gapped Operation: The platform operates fully disconnected from the public internet.

Data Sovereignty: It is designed to meet the most stringent data residency and security controls.

Sovereign by Design: This infrastructure choice ensures that the UK can benefit from technologies that are both operationally relevant and sovereign from the ground up.

Whitespace's Contribution: Whitespace brings its proprietary Collective software architecture to the project.

Purpose: Collective is designed for the rapid development and deployment of AI solutions in any environment, from edge devices to air-gapped networks and cloud solutions.

Capability: Enables the delivery of Generative AI (GenAI) and Agentic AI applications that can operate independently or integrate into existing systems.

Experience: Whitespace has been designing, developing, and deploying AI solutions across UK Defence and all military commands since 2019.

4. Strategic Context and Objectives

Project Ixian is explicitly positioned to address current and future national security challenges identified by the UK government.

Alignment with National Strategy: The project is specifically designed to address critical focus areas of the UK’s Strategic Defence Review 2025 (SDR25).

Core Mission: To treat information as "critical infrastructure" and ensure its protection is paramount.

Stated Goal: To translate advanced, sovereign infrastructure directly into operational capability to counter information operations. This establishes a sovereign AI capability for the UK built on leading technology.

5. Key Quotations

Andy McCartney, Chief Technology Officer, Defence Holdings, "Information has become critical infrastructure, and its protection is paramount. By selecting Google Cloud, we are establishing sovereign AI capability on the same technology, aligned with UK Government investments. Project Ixian exemplifies how infrastructure translates into capability – sovereign by design, scalable from inception, and directly addressing one of the most urgent areas of focus of our time: information operations. Project Ixian is just the first in a multi-product pipeline we intend to bring from concept to operational use over the next 18 months."

John Abel, UK Managing Director, Office of the CTO, Google Cloud, "This initiative brings together our sovereign infrastructure with Defence Holdings’ focus, ensuring that the UK can benefit from technologies that are both operationally relevant and sovereign by design."

About Defence Holdings PLC

Defence Holdings PLC (LSE: ALRT) is a leading listed software-led defence company, focused on developing sovereign defence capabilities for the digital age. The Company's five-year strategic plan, announced in June 2025, positions it to become a leading force in software-first defence solutions.

About Whitespace

Whitespace helps Defence and National Security organisations rapidly deliver capabilities against their AI unmet needs. As a sovereign UK SME, headquartered in Belfast, they’ve developed Collective – a secure software architecture specifically designed for rapidly developing and deploying AI solutions in any environment, from edge devices to air-gapped networks and cloud solutions. This enables Whitespace to deliver Generative AI (GenAI) and Agentic AI applications that operate independently or seamlessly integrate within existing systems.  Since 2019 Whitespace has been designing, developing and deploying Defence AI across UK Defence and across all military commands.